Robert H. Spooner, 68, of South Sutton, New Hampshire, died April 1, 2003 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., surrounded by family. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts on January 6, 1935, the son of Karl and Mildred (Copeland) Spooner. He spent his early years in Carlisle and graduated from Concord High School in 1954. A champion high school football player, Robert played on a team that remained undefeated for six seasons. He served his country with the Massachusetts National Guard from 1952 to 1956, Spec. 3 in Bravo Battery 211th FA Bn.

He was an entrepreneur throughout most of his life and dedicated himself to pleasing his customers. He owned and operated Spooner's Jitney executive sedan service out of South Sutton for the past 18 years.

His life was dedicated to his wife and children · he will be greatly missed.

Family members include his wife of 37 years, Patricia (King) Spooner of South Sutton, N.H.; four sons, a daughter, Karla E. Charles of Jaffrey, N.H.; and ten grandchildren.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, April 5, at 1 p.m. at The
First Free Will Baptist Church, North Sutton, N. H. For more information
and to sign an online guest book, please visit
www.chadwickfuneralservice.com.

Hazel Dionne McNamara
A mother who moved to Carlisle
to be closer to her family

Hazel Dionne McNamara, 88, formerly of Russell Street, died on March 18 in Far Hills, N. J. Born in Kankakee, Ill. on March 12, 1915, Hazel was raised with her three brothers and one sister by her French Acadian parents who migrated through Canada to the United States. At the age of 22, she married John J. McNamara and had seven children. Hazel moved from California to Carlisle in 1995 to be closer to her family, especially her grandchildren. Her family included Carlisle residents Carol, Euen, Hazy and George Malcolmson, formerly of Curve Street, and Kevin, Laura, John and Kevin C. McNamara of Estabrook Road.

In the fall of 2000, Hazel moved to Hunterdon County, N. J. Her sons Jack and Terry and daughter Denise Froelich reside there. Hazel's grandchildren in New Jersey include Grace and Hannah McNamara, Erinn and Meghan McNamara, and Celia, Emma and Helen Froelich.

During her years in Carlisle, Hazel had volunteered at the Concord Museum and the Gleason Public Library. She had been a parishioner at St. Irene church.

Services were held at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Far Hills, N. J. on March 21.

ADOPTION
Geanina Rebamarie Swanay

David Swanay and Jean Copeland Swanay (formerly of Carlisle) of Tyngsboro, would like to announce the arrival of their daughter Geanina, born July 23, 2000 in Romania. She arrived at her home in Tyngsboro on October 18, 2002. Proud grandmother is Marie Copeland (formerly of Carlisle) of Sanbornton, N. H.

Where are the photos?

The Mosquito has been asked why there have been fewer
photographs in our newspaper. These include photos taken by staff photographers
as well as those sent in by townspeople. The answer is that when we
publish a 16-page edition versus a 20-pager, we have less room for all
photos. During these difficult economic times, we must publish more
and more 16-page papers.

· Richard Chelton of Old North Road,
a first grader at the Carlisle School, took home the first-place trophy
in the 2003 Tiger Cub Pinewood Derby regional championship held at the
Burlington Mall on March 13. After winning at the town level, Richard
represented Carlisle at the regional championship. Richard's car won first
place out of 30 Tiger Cubs from around the Metrowest area. Richard is
a member of Carlisle's Tiger Cub pack #135.

· Catie and Caroline Petersen of Evergreen Lane were Carlisle's representatives on the Thoreau Sharks Swim Team through Carlisle-Concord Recreation.

The girls were five-time medal winners in the Suburban and Metro League Swimming Championships. Coached by Ann Boudrot at the Thoreau Club, Catie, a third grader, and Caroline, a sixth grader, brought home two first-place medals, one second, and two third-place medals in the championship that had 800 participants. Some events had over 100 entrants.

Caroline and Catie are looking forward to using the new C.C. Pool to be built in Concord and used by the Concord-Carlisle Recreation program.

· Roy and Mary Green of Stearns Street recently finished first at the Eastern Mass. Bridge Association (EMBA) Sectional tournament. They won the Swiss Teams event at the Holiday Sectional held in Watertown.

Where in Carlisle? Porcupine weathervane

by Carolyn Armistead

Kudos to those Carlisle residents who correctly identified the location
and/or meaning behind the porcupine weathervane pictured above. (And an
honorable mention to the wildly creative · and unknown ·
reader who offered the fable? fairy tale? legend? suggesting that the
galvanized aluminum porcupine is actually an offering to the "Greek
goddess of follicle rejuvenation").

The porcupine's correct location (provided by Heidi Harring of West Street and Linda Myers-Tierney of Lowell Street, as well as our anonymously imaginative reader) is the roof of Josh and Colleen Klein's house at 62 Lowell Street.

As for the story behind the spiny critter, Myers-Tierney, the Kleins' next-door neighbor, recalls that it evokes the memory of "an incident" that occurred during the Klein's wedding celebration. The wedding was ten years ago, with the reception held in New Hampshire at a house that has been in Josh's family for four generations.

"Being a big country wedding, a number of the wedding party had brought their big country dogs to stay for the weekend," Myers-Tierney writes. "Well, somehow the dogs got tangled up with a porcupine at a rather inopportune time for the schedule of wedding events. I recall a vision of bridesmaids in their lovely dresses being practically knocked off their feet by bleeding and howling hounds, running amok."

Josh's sisters and brother then drove the quill-covered dogs to the vet, recalls Colleen, returning hours later when the reception was nearly over.

"Today, the descendant of that porcupine still lives under the barn [at the house in New Hampshire]," says Colleen. The porcupine has become something of a mascot for the Klein family. Hence the one-of-a-kind weathervane that adorns their home.